Routt and Moffat county commissioners sent a joint letter to the Colorado Congressional Delegation urging continued federal support to combat the spread of leafy spurge, an invasive weed.

“Of the nearly 100 noxious weed species in the state of Colorado, leafy spurge is by far one of the most difficult to manage,” said Tiffany Carlson, Routt County weed manager, in a county news release. “Eradication is unfortunately nearly impossible once an infestation is allowed to become significantly established. For this reason, early detection and rapid response is imperative in the management of this species.”

The letter was sent following discussions at the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference and reflects the counties’ stewardship of the Yampa River.

The Yampa River Leafy Spurge Project combats the spread of leafy spurge. The collaborative effort has received $500,000 in federal funding over seven years since 2015.

This federal support has “recently been frozen, and is unavailable as we enter into prime weed management season,” stated the news release.

Commissioners are now calling for state officials to advocate for federal funding to continue to fight the spread of leafy spurge.

“Noxious weeds do not respect geopolitical boundaries, so it is imperative that we work collaboratively with our neighbors throughout the Yampa River Basin to combat them,” said Routt County Commissioner Chair Sonja Macys. “The multi-year funding that was granted to this project must be restored if we are to succeed in our collaborative efforts.”

The letter addresses the federal funding freeze and how it affects Routt and Moffat county communities, providing the spread of leafy spurge as a prime example.

Signed by Macys and Moffat County Commissioner Chair Melody Villard, the letter notes the importance of collaboration needed to fight the weed, and states they are ready to work alongside the delegation to ensure that federal support is preserved.

To learn more about weed control, visit Co.Routt.Co.Us/216/Weed-Program.